Vehicles need transmissions in order to transform torques and speeds. The task of a vehicle transmission is to convert the traction force potential of a drive engine. The present invention concerns a method for operating an automatic transmission. In the context of this invention, the term automatic transmission should be understood to mean any transmission with an automatic gear change, also known as an automatic variable-speed transmission.
In the development of automatic transmissions a continual trend can be observed toward increasing the number of gears, particularly the forward gears of an automatic transmission. Thus at present, automatic transmissions with eight forward gears and one reverse gear are being developed. Such automatic transmissions have at least five shift elements, at least three of these at least five shift elements are engaged for torque transfer and force transfer in any forward gear and in a reverse gear. During gear disengagement out of a forward gear or a reverse gear in an automatic transmission of such type, the torque transfer and force transfer have to be interrupted in a safe and gentle manner. Until now, however, no methods for operating such automatic transmissions have been known which ensure safe and gentle gear disengagement in such automatic transmissions.
Against this background, the present invention addresses the problem of providing a new type of method for operating an automatic transmission.